A 62-year-old man is fighting for his life in hospital today after suffering a fractured skull in a row with a neighbour over a fence.

The man was injured when a long-standing dispute erupted into violence outside their homes in Colbeck Avenue, Swalwell, in Gateshead, yesterday morning.

Police were called to the street shortly after 7am by the wife of the other man, aged 65, who lives next door to the injured man.

He was taken to Gateshead's Queen Elizabeth Hospital with a head injury, which was not thought to be serious at first.

But it was discovered that he had a fractured skull and as his conditioned worsened, he was taken to Newcastle General Hospital. He is in the intensive care unit where his condition is described as "critical and unstable".

Acting Det Insp Dave Kay, of Gateshead CID, said the man has had a series of operations.

A 65-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He has been bailed pending further enquiries.